With one play, Shauni Kerkhoff changed the women’s soccer program.
In the waning moments of a conference road matchup against Cincinnati—a two-hour drive from the goalkeeper’s home in Westerville, Ohio—the Owls were in danger of relinquishing a 2–1 lead.
Kerkhoff made arguably the most important save of her career, denying Cincinnati’s Danielle Rotheram on a breakaway opportunity with 20 seconds remaining.
“It was like one of those things you see in the movies,” coach Seamus O’Connor said. “This is not real life. It was just an absolutely phenomenal save, and I think that result kind of made everybody step back and go, ‘Okay, these girls are legit,’ and it really changed our fortune with recruiting and it changed a lot about the program.